Keeping Laptop And Desktop Synchronised.

[JuniorExPat]

Hi

My head is spinning from all the different ways that Google and ThaiVisa searches have come up with for dealing with this, so I'm hoping that one or two personal recommendations may help me see the wood for the trees.

Hardware:

Desktop running Windows XP professional with external HDD backup

Laptop running Windows XP Home (remote access from this machine to the desktop would be incredibly useful)

Most relevant data to be kept synchronised:

Email (including contacts)

Calendar (Google, so not really an issue)

Text and spreadsheet documents

Photographs

TurboLister database

Most relevant software used (on desktop, laptop is still fresh as a daisy!):

Thunderbird (POP3 to Gmail, several accounts and YPOPS to one Yahoo! account)

Skype

OpenOffice

Picassa

TurboLister (for eBay)

Google Base Store Connector

I have looked at Briefcase, Easy2Synch, copy and paste (replace) folders and many other other recipes for success/disaster and I can't help but feel that I'm making it more complicated than it needs to be.

Are there any roving computer users here who have a tried and tested recommendation for keeping desktop and laptop on the same data track?

Many thanks in advance,

JxP

[rcm]

My solution for my "portables" is as follows.

I use google spreadsheet for spreadsheets so you can access them basically anywhere (with an internet connection), the calender is also on google but i don't particular need that as i do the calender with PDA Phone.

The emails: i have primarily gmail & yahoo too so for my Phone i use Flurry (www.flurry.com ) and for the laptop i have all on Netvibes (www.netvibes.com), that starts from all email (except Yahoo.com) to bookmarks . needs a bit of time to set it up but works great for me. Picasa images you can upload them to server too and share ,so you can access them anywhere with an Internet Connection.

turbolister , not sure what solution is good as i don't use this.

Hope this is of any help,

rcm

Edited July 24, 2007 by rcm

[bdenner]

I use a utility called 'FolderMatch' form Salty Brine Software - www.foldermatch.com. - Not free but very cheap and transferable to any computer once registered. Easy to use and allowes you to maintain identicle files in any folder between networked computers and flash drives etc.

[JuniorExPat]

My solution for my "portables" is as follows.

I use google spreadsheet for spreadsheets so you can access them basically anywhere (with an internet connection), the calender is also on google but i don't particular need that as i do the calender with PDA Phone.

The emails: i have primarily gmail & yahoo too so for my Phone i use Flurry (www.flurry.com ) and for the laptop i have all on Netvibes (www.netvibes.com), that starts from all email (except Yahoo.com) to bookmarks . needs a bit of time to set it up but works great for me. Picasa images you can upload them to server too and share ,so you can access them anywhere with an Internet Connection.

turbolister , not sure what solution is good as i don't use this.

Hope this is of any help,

rcm

Thanks very much for the quick reply rcm. Flurry looks interesting but I really don't want to start getting email on my phone, it's going to be hard enough keeping these two machines coordinated!

Netvibes also looks interesting but may conflict with my addiction to Google and the similarity to Google Start Page (iGoogle).

I keep my most current and most relevant images online but you have hit the nail on the head when you write "you can access them anywhere with an Internet Connection" - I really like to be able to work on my email, photos, docs, spreadsheets etc without having to rely on having internet access at that particular moment which as we all know is not always a given in these parts!

Thank you but . . . the search continues

JxP.

[JuniorExPat]

I use a utility called 'FolderMatch' form Salty Brine Software - www.foldermatch.com. - Not free but very cheap and transferable to any computer once registered. Easy to use and allowes you to maintain identicle files in any folder between networked computers and flash drives etc.

Now this looks like it may be closer to what I need, thank you, this is definitely going on the short list.

The demo on the site looks good, I now need to work out if it is practical to use FolderMatch for Thunderbird and Firefox profiles and also get my head around the connection options (PCanywhere, remote access, direct cable, USB? LAN? etc etc - help!!).

Thanks for the info.

JxP.

[Tywais]

The demo on the site looks good, I now need to work out if it is practical to use FolderMatch for Thunderbird and Firefox profiles and also get my head around the connection options (PCanywhere, remote access, direct cable, USB? LAN? etc etc - help!!).

If your laptop has bluetooth then a bluetooth adapter for your PC will give you a wireless connection between the two. Often a bluetooth dongle will come with software to allow synchronization.

[MisterMan]

Synchback http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/syncback-hub.html

the freeware version is great, does back ups or sync, super fast and doesnt eat up a lot of resources when it is running.

you can do all or just a few folders.....

[JuniorExPat]

The demo on the site looks good, I now need to work out if it is practical to use FolderMatch for Thunderbird and Firefox profiles and also get my head around the connection options (PCanywhere, remote access, direct cable, USB? LAN? etc etc - help!!).

If your laptop has bluetooth then a bluetooth adapter for your PC will give you a wireless connection between the two. Often a bluetooth dongle will come with software to allow synchronization.

Good idea - that makes it nice and simple . . . and I've always wanted a dongle, thanks! You're saying that if I head to Pantip to find FolderMatch or similar and buy a genuine copy then I may end up with the dongle as part of the package, yes?

Just on the off chance - do you know if PCanywhere (or any remote access solution) is practical when using a roving laptop to connect to a desktop that does NOT have a fixed IP address?

JxP.

[JuniorExPat]

Synchback http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/syncback-hub.html

the freeware version is great, does back ups or sync, super fast and doesnt eat up a lot of resources when it is running.

you can do all or just a few folders.....

Another one for the shortlist - can't find a lot of detail though so this one is going to have be tried first I think.

Thank you,

JxP.

[Veazer]

I use a utility called 'FolderMatch' form Salty Brine Software - www.foldermatch.com. - Not free but very cheap and transferable to any computer once registered. Easy to use and allowes you to maintain identicle files in any folder between networked computers and flash drives etc.

Now this looks like it may be closer to what I need, thank you, this is definitely going on the short list.

The demo on the site looks good, I now need to work out if it is practical to use FolderMatch for Thunderbird and Firefox profiles and also get my head around the connection options (PCanywhere, remote access, direct cable, USB? LAN? etc etc - help!!).

Thanks for the info.

JxP.

I used FolderMatch for about a year but I changed to Super Flexible File Synchronizer because I like the feature set much better and foldermatch froze on me a few times during large syncs. The cluttered gui of 'Super Flexible' takes a little getting used to but the program works very well. The SyncToy from microsoft is not bad either if you want a free solution, but it lacks features found in SFFS and foldermatch.

You might consider changing to portable versions of thunderbird and firefox, even if you don't intend to run them from a removable drive. It just makes syncing much easier because you know you have everything backed up if you sync the whole folder. Nothing is stored in the user profile folder, etc. Actually, given your application list i would changed to portable versions for many of the others as well (Openoffice, skype)

I would highly recommend against using the windows briefcase as it can be very buggy and a pain in the arse in general.

[yeti]

One important point you didn't mention: are your 2 computers on the same network? Do you have a wifi or wired connection between those computers?

If yes, you can use Microsoft's Briefcase which is included in Windows Xp.

[yeti]

SyncToy seems to be an improved version of the briefcase, maybe better...

[JuniorExPat]

I used FolderMatch for about a year but I changed to Super Flexible File Synchronizer because I like the feature set much better and foldermatch froze on me a few times during large syncs. The cluttered gui of 'Super Flexible' takes a little getting used to but the program works very well. The SyncToy from microsoft is not bad either if you want a free solution, but it lacks features found in SFFS and foldermatch.

You might consider changing to portable versions of thunderbird and firefox, even if you don't intend to run them from a removable drive. It just makes syncing much easier because you know you have everything backed up if you sync the whole folder. Nothing is stored in the user profile folder, etc. Actually, given your application list i would changed to portable versions for many of the others as well (Openoffice, skype)

I would highly recommend against using the windows briefcase as it can be very buggy and a pain in the arse in general.

Hi Veazer and thanks for the response.

Right, this is starting to get interesting! SFFS is now on the shortlist but from the read through on their site I think it goes to the top of the list.

I have no idea about portable versions of anything so I need to go and do some homework - do you treat the laptop as an external drive of some sort or do you keep a USB stick on the go and swap that into the machine that you are currently using?

I have a dream that I will one day get away from all things MS and I regularly dip in and out of Linux Ubuntu with this in mind but never quite make the leap so your recommendation regarding Briefcase can be taken as a given!

JxP.

[JuniorExPat]

SyncToy seems to be an improved version of the briefcase, maybe better...

Thanks for your responses yeti they are appreciated but I feel the need to move away from and not closer to MS! The laptop is not on any network but I will eventually change my ADSL bridge/router for one with extra cable connections and WiFi which may make life easier or, if not, more interesting.

JxP.

[raro]

There's an even easier way which works very well for me:

Step 1: Laptop and Desktop must be connected by LAN

Step 2: Route the "My Documents" Folder from the Laptop on a physical drive on the Desktop. (I assume that you work mostly with the laptop, otherwise make it the other way around....) Don't forget to make drives on the Desktop visible ofor the laptop!

Step3: Klick the "Make available offline" option

Now all files are physically on the desktop, although you work from the laptop. If there is no connection to your desktop, you won't even notice (apart from a small icon that tells you about the missing connection) and you can work as if you were connected. Once connection resumes, a prompt will appear and ask you to synchronize. Voila!

NB: For whatever reason it does not synchronize the Outlook database. I keep all mails for 30 days on the server, from a former HDD crash I learned that I didn't need many of the older mails...As for the contacts...I have not found a solution yet.

I tried OSASync, but it's a pain to set up and never really worked.

[JuniorExPat]

There's an even easier way which works very well for me:

Step 1: Laptop and Desktop must be connected by LAN

Step 2: Route the "My Documents" Folder from the Laptop on a physical drive on the Desktop. (I assume that you work mostly with the laptop, otherwise make it the other way around....) Don't forget to make drives on the Desktop visible ofor the laptop!

Step3: Klick the "Make available offline" option

Now all files are physically on the desktop, although you work from the laptop. If there is no connection to your desktop, you won't even notice (apart from a small icon that tells you about the missing connection) and you can work as if you were connected. Once connection resumes, a prompt will appear and ask you to synchronize. Voila!

NB: For whatever reason it does not synchronize the Outlook database. I keep all mails for 30 days on the server, from a former HDD crash I learned that I didn't need many of the older mails...As for the contacts...I have not found a solution yet.

I tried OSASync, but it's a pain to set up and never really worked.

Thanks raro - this looks like a very sensible option if it really is as simple as you say - I need to work out now if plugging my laptop into the router that my desktop is connected to constitutes a LAN!

It's no fun if you don't learn something new each day!

JxP.

[Rice_King]

How about keeping all the files you need to access on an 2.5 inch external USB drive enclosure? (Or, possibly even a USB flash drive.) This way, you just connect the drive to the machine you're using at the time. Of course you would certainly still want to back up this file drive, but syncing between machines would be not be required since you would be using the same files on both (or more) PCs.

For portability purposes, I would choose the 2.5 enclosure over the 3.5 inch version. In most cases, the 2.5 inch drive enclosures do not require an external power supply like the 3.5 inch enclosures do.

Edited July 24, 2007 by Rice_King

[Veazer]

Hi Veazer and thanks for the response.

Right, this is starting to get interesting! SFFS is now on the shortlist but from the read through on their site I think it goes to the top of the list.

I have no idea about portable versions of anything so I need to go and do some homework - do you treat the laptop as an external drive of some sort or do you keep a USB stick on the go and swap that into the machine that you are currently using?

I have a dream that I will one day get away from all things MS and I regularly dip in and out of Linux Ubuntu with this in mind but never quite make the leap so your recommendation regarding Briefcase can be taken as a given!

JxP.

A portable app is one that does not require any installation and can be run from a removable drive or a folder of your choice. Ideally they store settings in a file and not in the registry which helps to keep your registry clean and maintain your preferences regardless of which the app is used on. "A well made portable apps leaves no trace" seems to be the motto, though I've got several that violate this.

Most people run portable apps from a USB flash drive but they work as well or better from a USB hard drive like Rice King suggested. If you go with a 2.5" enclosure & drive I highly recommend you look for a drive that use 500mA or less as they can often be run on a single USB port. Anything above that will almost always require 2 USB ports to meet the power requirements.

A huge benefit of portable apps that is often overlooked is the amount of work that is reduced when starting from fresh windows install. Rather than re-installing app after app you simply re-connect your portableapp drive. This obviously doesn't apply to non-portable apps.

I wouldn't dismiss SyncToy too quickly just because it's a microsoft product. It's free, and if it meets your requirements you may well find it easier to use.

Here's some more info about portable apps:

PortableApps

The Portable Freeware Collection

PenDrive Apps

Good luck.